Top Ten Tuesday: Among the Stars

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Top Ten Tuesday

Welcome to another contribution to the wildly popular Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.  This week they ask us to share lists on the following:

September 26:  Ten Books That Feature Characters That live or work in Space

I’ve been on a science fiction kick lately so I decided for this open-ended topic I would pick ten characters that either live or work in space.  They might be human or alien or living on another planet but all of them will spend most of their story not on Earth. After all with all the crap going on right now space sounds like an ideal place to be despite its inherent danger….

Ten Characters That Live or Work in Space

  1. Yesterday's Son (Star Trek: The Yesterday Saga, #1)  Going to start with probably my favorite space character that I have.  Spock.  He was my first crush, and was the first alien I was introduced to growing up.  He remains one of my favorites and I often find myself longing for his cool, calm, detached logical facade.  Because we should all know by now that Vulcans do have emotions they have simply learned to control them.
  2. Old Man's War (Old Man's War, #1) John Perry from Old Man’s War.  Here is what I said about him in the review: “The characters made this story, getting to know them and grow with them and grieve them. Took my breath away at the end. John is, of course, the main character in this story but also my favorite.”
  3. The Space Between the Stars Jamie Allenby in this fairly recent release is an interesting character.  She is far from perfect and faces a great internal battle for much of the book to overcome her past.  This is a science fiction story for those that want more of a character driven story than a hard-core science fiction.
  4. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1) This is tough story to pick just one character from as it is the ensemble cast that makes this story great.  If I had to pick just one I would have to say Rosemary Harper was in my top three.
  5. Artemis Jazz Bashara is the main character in the upcoming release of Andy Weir’s next book.  I’m not going to say much more as I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone but I enjoyed her character quite a bit.
  6. Born of Legend (The League, #9) Not the latest release in this Kenyon series but the last one I’ve read and the only book in The League series that I’ve given five stars to. Danger is the type of character I love from Ms. Kenyon.  She spend countless books making us hate him only to have him redeemed in his book.  This was a great read!
  7. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #1) Another instance of a great ensemble cast to pick from.  I’m going to pick Marvin from this story and mainly for the movie version of the character.  Who doesn’t love a depressed paranoid AI.
  8. Across the Universe (Across the Universe, #1) I read this before I was writing reviews and it is a toss-up between the two lead characters as to which I enjoyed more.  For the sake of the list I’m going to pick Amy because why the hell not, its a good name ;).  (actually I’ve never been particularly fond of my name…)
  9. Tor (Women of Earth, #2) It has been a while since I read this one but I’m going to step out of my norm for the list and pick the character Mohawk as a favorite from this story.  Partially because he was mentioned in the review as one of my favorites and I do remember being rather fond of him.
  10. The Martian  I tried really hard to not put this book on the list.  I didn’t want more than one book by an author or from a series/franchise but I just couldn’t do it.  I’ve simply not read enough science fiction yet.  Then there is the fact that Mark Watney is an amazing character.  I loved so much about him!  His sarcasm, inventiveness, intelligence, wit, persistence! He will remain one of my favorite characters and stories for years to come.

Well there you have my list this week.  What characters that live or work in space do you love that I haven’t met yet?  Feel free to leave book suggestions in the comments!  Wrote your own TTT list?  Leave that there too for everyone to go check out!  Happy Reading~

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Immortally Yours by Lynsay Sands

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Book Review

 


Immortally Yours (Argeneau #26)Book Genre: Romance, Paranormal, 

Book Series: Argeneau #26

Released: 9/26/17 by Avon

Pages: 384 Price: $7.99 Paperback

Links:  Goodreads, Author’s Site

Source: I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.

 

 

Book Synopsis:

One hundred and twenty-five years is a long time to nurse a crush. That’s how long it’s been since Beth Argenis first met Cullen “Scotty” MacDonald and he instantly became the star of her most X-rated dreams. Back then, he was rescuing her from a Rogue Immortal. Now Beth’s a Rogue Hunter—a damn good one. She doesn’t need saving anymore, despite what Scotty thinks. What she does need is the fierce, wild desire that finally erupts between them.

Scotty has hesitated to claim Beth as his own. But one explosive kiss confirms what he’s long suspected: She’s his life mate. But Beth is tough, fearless, beautiful…and in immortal danger. Unless he wants to lose her forever, he’ll have to rethink everything he once believed about love and destiny as well as confront an enemy who’s terrifyingly close.

My Review:

I’ve been reading this series for some time now and have absolutely no plans to abandon it anytime soon.  I’m in it for the long haul regardless of if I love the current release or not.  Fortunately, the latest book is one that I LOVE!

The 26th installment of the Argeneau series brings us back to Canada where the rogue hunters are little scarce thanks to the drama going on with the doctor.  They are relying on hunters on loan from Europe and we end up with Beth and Scotty’s story.  Some parts of this story felt familiar and we probably met these two before for another couple’s coming together.  Please note Ms. Kenyon, this book is a perfect example of how you can revisit a plot from an earlier book without copying scenes word-for-word…  Moving on.

Beth and Scotty’s book is one of the more somber and serious Argeneau books focusing more on drama than laughs.  Don’t worry they are in there too.  But both leads had a pretty tough human life and we deal with topics in this book that don’t lend well to slapstick.  I loved how Ms. Sands tackled some heavy topics and didn’t sanitize what was most likely reality for many young poor women from Beth’s human era.

I enjoyed how it wasn’t an easy coming together for these two.  They had to work at finding their h.e.a.  Both needed to overcome insecurities and prejudices and grow as individuals before they could work as a couple.  Scotty was fun but came with his own set of baggage and needed to own up to it.  Beth was a kick-ass heart of gold heroine and I simply loved her.  She was a great pick for the pompous Scotty.  In the end, as with all of Ms. Sands’ stories, they found their H.E.A. and the mystery was solved.  There were some fresh faces in this book and I look forward to seeing who they might get paired up with in future novels.

If you love this series then I think you will love this one too.  If you feel that it is getting a little stale then I implore you to hold on for this book as it had a fresh feeling to me.  Over all, it simply was a great read and I enjoyed every minute of it.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Lady Stuff: Secrets to Being a Woman by Loryn Brantz

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Book Review

 


Lady Stuff: Secrets to Being a WomanBook Genre: Non-Fiction, Humor, Comics

Book Series: N/A

Released: 9/ 26/17 by Andrews McMeel Publishing

Pages: 128  Price: $14.99 Paperback

Links:  Goodreads, Author’s Site

Source: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.  

Book Synopsis:

A collection of Loryn Brantz’s vibrant and relatable Jellybean Comics about her everyday experiences as a lady 

Home manicure tips, awkward seduction techniques, scoping out the snack table, and—most important—prioritizing naps: Lady Stuff reveals these womanly secrets and more. In sections like “Grooming and Habitat Maintenance,” “Mating Habits,” and others, these brightly colored, adorable comics find the humor in the awkwardness of simply existing.
 
Like the work of Sarah Andersen, Gemma Correll, and Allie Brosh, Loryn Brantz’s Jellybean Comics are accessible and funny; lighthearted takes on the author’s everyday experiences and struggles being a woman.

My Review:

Like many of you, I’ve seen this author’s work on Facebook and other social media platforms as memes but did not realize that when requesting this book for review.  What pulled me in was the title and description, also the fact that it was a read now title on Net Galley.  I decided to take a shot and see what this book was all about.

What I received was a fun little read that was quite clever and poignant at times.  Besides being totally funny I found myself thinking oh yeah I totally get that.  These illustrations are going to be so relatable to any woman, this would make an excellent gift for your best girlfriend!  Not very long but well done this book also worked well on my e-reader, perhaps the only time that a graphic novel book worked for me!

Not much more I can say beyond that.  It was a fun read that would make a great gift!

My Rating: 4 Stars

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

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Book Review

 


The Rosie Project (Don Tillman, #1)Book Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Humor

Book Series: Don Tillman #1

Released: 10/1/2013

Pages:297  Price: $24.00 Hardcover

Links:  Goodreads, Author’s Site

Source: I borrowed the audiobook from my library

 

 

Book Synopsis:

An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love.

Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent—and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don’s Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

The Rosie Project is a moving and hilarious novel for anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of overwhelming challenges.

My Review:

This is my second reading of this book if you wish to see the original review it is linked here.

My library is reading this book for a book talk and I decided to listen to the story this time instead of reading it. It was just as enjoyable the second time around as it was the first. After rereading my earlier review I do not see any changes I would make and stand by my earlier assessment. As to listening to the book vs reading it. The fact that the narrator speaks with an Aussie accent does add a fair bit of charm to the story but might be a bit of a struggle to those who have difficulty understanding accents, my husband for example. If that isn’t an issue for you then I recommend either version as both are enjoyable. Cute story.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Monday Morning Check-In: New Trek

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Good Monday morning everyone!  Well, this was a political weekend…  All kinds of fighting on social media. I must confess I came out and supported those exercising their first amendment right to protest.  Not going to go into it further here.  Anyway, it was another big weekend for me as Sunday was the day that Star Trek returned to TV briefly before being sequestered away online where CBS has decided to solicit money in order to access the show henceforth.  I, of course, coughed up my $$ in order to have access to future episodes, but I would be lying if I didn’t acknowledge that I have mixed feelings about it all.   So today I have decided to sort out my opinions on Star Trek Discovery and CBS’s plan to only offer the show online on my blog.  Because I can.  Warning: if you’ve not seen the show there will be spoilers ahead.

First off I think it should be mentioned for those who don’t know I am a huge Trekkie.  I love everything about Star Trek, the message, the movies, the shows.  I tend to not be too critical of the different interpretations of the franchise as well, for instance, I enjoyed the rebooted movies.  I thought they were great fun and appreciated the nods to the established dogma and the changes made to bring in a new audience.  So I anxiously sat down on Sunday night to see what Star Trek Discovery had to offer me as a lifelong Trekkie.  

The show started off good.  Sure, it felt different but there were pieces of old Trek in there.  The first episode felt more like a movie than one of the tv shows.  Fancier camera angles, which got to be a little annoying and made me a bit dizzy.  I get it, they are in space no need to constantly rotate the screen.  The action was focused on only three main characters and I kept waiting for us to be introduced to the rest of the crew.  Yes, the first TV show was centered around Kirk, Spock, and Bones but at its heart, it is an ensemble show and we got to know the rest of the cast.  I can’t say that we were even told any of the other bridge crew’s names.  I tried to let it go and attempted to figure out other pieces of the show.  I did like the styling of the new show, the set design if you will and the uniforms.  The new show sure looked slick.  First Episode thoughts: We liked it and wanted to see more.

The husband and I decided to subscribe to CBS Access and watch the second episode that was already available for viewing.  Of course, the first episode left off on a cliffhanger and having finished our chores earlier in the day decided to dive right into the next.  This is where I started questioning things.  Both of us were yelling at the characters on the screen and wondering just what the hell was going on.  THIS did NOT feel like Star Trek.  It was way more aggressive than previous incarnations of the show.  With possibly the exception of Deep Space Nine which dealt with the topic of war and the federation, but in that case, there was still plenty of fun to be had.  There was little to no joking on this show it was way too serious for typical Trek.  Up until the end, however, I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt though.  New show, new direction and I had only seen two episodes so far.  It wasn’t until we get the sneak peek at the upcoming episodes that I started questioning my decision to buy the full year subscription to CBS Access…  What they were showing looked nothing like the Star Trek I know and love and I’m not quite sure I want to continue with this series.

I’m torn.  If as a Trekkie I don’t support the new show how will CBS ever justify bringing us new Trek content?  If they don’t make money they will kill the franchise.  BUT as a Trekkie should I support something that feels so bastardized from everything I love about Star Trek simply to save the franchise.  If the show has very little in common with Star Trek beyond the name what is the point?  I’m not sure I like the new look of the Klingons and I don’t like that I have to buy a subscription to watch the show.  And if the main people who are going to be buying access to view this show are Trekkies why the hell would you revamp the series so heavily and alienate the fans?  I’m going to watch the first season, I paid for it already, but I am also going to be judging the show heavily.  I sincerely hope I’m wrong and the series stays in line with Trek of the past.  But I have to say I’m worried that it won’t live up.  That it is going to be much more violent, much darker, and give little hope for the future of humanity.  Roddenberry wanted Star Trek to be an example of what humanity becomes.  Show us what life could be like if we set aside the racism, nationalism, sexism, and are freed from economic suppression of today.  I’m not sure that Star Trek Discovery is going to live up to that legacy.  Episode Two thoughts: Disappointed and worried about the direction of the show.

Top Ten Tuesday: Fall TBR

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Top Ten Tuesday

Welcome to another contribution to the wildly popular Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.  This week they ask us to share lists on the following:

September 19: Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR List

I think I’ve finally figured out that I’m a mood reader.  So going to my stacks and saying I’m going to read X, Y, and Z this fall usually doesn’t pan out.  I might read one or two, sometimes even as many as half of the books that I plan on reading.  So please take this list with a grain of salt.  Most of them are either books releasing this fall, review books I am committed to or have already read, or titles that I have been planning on reading already.  So let’s take a look at what titles I may or probably won’t be reading this autumn.

Ten books that I might read this fall.

  1. A Closed and Common Orbit (Wayfarers, #2)    This is going to be an easy one as it will be the next book I read.  I am just over halfway through the first book and enjoying it immensely. So many great things to say about this series but I will hold them until my review if I haven’t posted it already.
  2. Dragonsworn (Dark-Hunter, #28)  This one I’m torn over.  Really wasn’t happy that the last book was only 1/3 new plotline so it made me hesitant to dive into the next one.  Maybe I’ll read it this fall maybe I’ll wait until the next book comes out.  Who knows?
  3. The Chosen (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #15) This one I am holding out on because I’m not crazy about who the main storyline is about.  Then again last time that happened I ended up LOVING the book so maybe I should consider moving this one up in priority.
  4. The Trouble with Twelfth Grave (Charley Davidson, #12)  This will be the book I read after number one on the list.  Yes, that is right I scored an ARC of Ms. Jones’s next to the last release in the Charley Davidson series.  Can’t wait!
  5. Blade of Darkness (Immortal Guardians, #7) This book releases next week, will I read it anytime in the near future?  Most likely not but I will probably buy it.  That counts right?
  6. Intensity (Chronicles of Nick, #8)  This has not even been put on the buy list at work.  I’m torn over this series.  I want to know what happens to Nick and I can’t wait to read his book in the main series but I am so over YA… I’ll get to it eventually.
  7. Immortally Yours (Argeneau #26) This one feels like cheating.  I’ve already read it but haven’t posted the review.  I’ve decided to start holding all ARC reviews until release day, just makes things easier.  Anyway, this was a good addition to the series and I look forward to sharing the review with you!
  8. Artemis Another instance of cheating on my part for the list.  I’ve read this book already too.  BUT I do plan on picking up am copy as soon as it is released so my husband can read it. How is that for integrity publishers?  I don’t share my ARCs with ANYONE, not even my own husband!
  9. Shifter's Magic (The Wolvers Book 8) This is another release I’m behind on.  I did manage to pick up a copy last week for book buying day or some other made up holiday the internets were sharing about all over Facebook.  It’s on the list.
  10. Archangel's Blade (Guild Hunter, #4)  I’ve been thinking it is about time to return to this series and see if I can get back into it.  I put it aside when I was having some personal drama so maybe it is time to try again.

Well, there you have my list for this week.  What books are you looking forward to this fall? Share in the comments and feel free to post a link to your own list!

The Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

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Book Review

 


The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1)Book Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Space Opera

Book Series: Wayfarers #1

Released: 8/18/15 by Harper Voyager

Pages: 467  Price: $15.99 Paperback

Links:  Goodreads, Author’s Site

Source: I borrowed this book from my library.

 

 

Book Synopsis:

A rollicking space adventure with a lot of heart
When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn’t expecting much. The patched-up ship has seen better days, but it offers her everything she could possibly want: a spot to call home, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and some distance from her past.
And nothing could be further from what she’s known than the crew of the Wayfarer.
From Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, to Kizzy and Jenks, the chatty engineers who keep the ship running, to the noble captain Ashby, life aboard is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. That is until the crew is offered the job of a lifetime tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet. Sure, they’ll earn enough money to live comfortably for years, but risking her life wasn’t part of the job description.
The journey through the galaxy is full of excitement, adventure, and mishaps for the Wayfarer team. And along the way, Rosemary comes to realize that a crew is a family, and that family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe… as long as you actually like them.

My Review:

Let me start off by saying this book is awesome.  It is also so what I needed in my life right now reading-wise.  This was the exact sort of book I was looking for.  A science fiction character-driven novel with subtle social commentary.  Ahhh, like putting on a warm fuzzy sweater on a chilly morning.

There is was so much that was great about this book that I’m not quite sure where to begin.  I want to share it all with you, spoiler free, of course.  Let’s start with what I enjoyed most about this story.  The characters.  Hands down the diversity and personality of characters in this book were out of this world (ha, ha, space pun). We have a bit of everything in this book same-sex relationships, aliens that are not carbon copies of humans, the excentric off-the-wall-wondering-if-she-is-crazy-but-want-them-as-your-BFF character, the sour-puss, and so much more.  The diversity of character and species is reason enough to read this book.  I loved them all and enjoyed getting to know them and their backgrounds.

The next aspect of this story that worked for me is that it was a space opera.  If you are looking for a dry technical heavily political serious piece look elsewhere, however.  While this is a space opera science fiction is much more a character-driven story.  We get some science but nothing too technical.  It felt a bit like an extended Star Trek mission but better.  The species and space had more diversity and didn’t feel like they were all based on humanity and Earth only tweaked.  The author did an excellent job of putting thought into creating these new worlds and cultures.  You can also tell she worked hard to make them feel authentic too.

Then there is the subtle social commentary.  Oh, how I love a book that makes us take a good hard look at our society and question just what the hell are we doing.  Why do we have the problems, political and social, that we have?  Most of all I love a story that shows us another way.

This was a fantastic story, not about a crew on the ship Wayfarer but about a family.  A group of vastly different ‘people’ that came together and built a family.  Where everyone has their role and are needed to be complete.  I absolutely loved this story!

My Rating: 5 Stars

Monday Morning Check-In: Giveaway update.

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Good morning everyone!  I hope you all had a great weekend.  Mine was pretty good.  Made some progress on the kitchen floor that we are refinishing and was disappointed to discover that my current audiobook had one hour left on the checkout and I had about 9 hours of listening time left.  Dammit.  So I returned it and put myself back on the bottom of the hold list.  Might give up listening to that one and just read it.  Started the second audiobook and managed to get a bunch of work done but not sure how much of my book I absorbed….

Decided to have a screen-free day last week and managed to get a bunch of progress in my current physical read.  Such a great book!  I won’t say more as I will most likely finish it this afternoon and you can read the review.

I did a post last week about holding a giveaway to celebrate hitting 1,000 followers.  My plan is to hold that next month after I pay my property tax and think up the best way to hold one to include international followers.  So keep an eye out for that in October!  The main requirement will be that you need to be following the blog on either WordPress or Facebook or following me on Instagram or Twitter.   The giveaway will probably be for a $25 Amazon gift certificate or a book worth up to $25 on The Book Depository. Let me know in the comments which you prefer or any other ideas you might have.  I’m not a huge fan of Amazon but feel it might be easiest.

Happy Reading!

Bookish Thoughts: 1,000 Followers!

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Greetings everyone!  I was working on next week’s Top Ten Tuesday post and noticed that Read What I Like now has over 1,ooo followers!  YAY!  It might seem like a small number compared to other blogs the same age as this one but I’m impressed and thrilled that so many want to hear what I think about the books I read.  Especially since I don’t actively try to promote this blog and have long since given up on trying to respond to comments.  I read them and appreciate them but have poor blogging skills…  Anyway,  that so many people found this blog on their own and have managed to stick around is great!  Kudos to you, especially since I have been posting significantly less recently.  I hope that is about to change though.

I’ve been toying with adding new feature posts to the blog.  I do a weekly check-in post, participate in Top Ten Tuesday, and do a monthly wrap-up post.  This seems like a great opportunity to see what content you all would like to see at Read What I Like.  So please share in the comments your suggestions!  Would you like more blog memes (like Top Ten Tuesday, suggest other ones you either participate in or follow), challenges, giveaways?  Non-bookish posts, thoughts about reading in general, movie reviews? A monthly review of something Star Trek?  The possibilities are endless, kinda…within reason…  Or do you simply want me to get my act together and do a better job of responding to comments?

For the meanwhile, I do think a giveaway is in order for hitting 1,000 followers and I will think up something over the weekend.  Probably a gift card to Amazon so that it can be open to international followers.  I will also make following the blog a requirement for winning.  Look for more details next week.

For now,  thanks so much for making this hobby worthwhile!  Please, leave your suggestions for a new blog feature below.

~Happy Reading!

The Gunslinger by Stephen King

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Book Review

 


The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, #1)Book Genre: Fantasy, Western, Post Apocalyptic, Adventure

Book Series: The Dark Tower #1

Released: 6/10/1982 by NAL

Pages: 231 Price: $20.00 paperback

Links:  Goodreads, Author’s Site

Source: I borrowed this book from my library

 

 

Book Synopsis:

In The Gunslinger (originally published in 1982), King introduces his most enigmatic hero, Roland Deschain of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting, solitary figure at first, on a mysterious quest through a desolate world that eerily mirrors our own. Pursuing the man in black, an evil being who can bring the dead back to life, Roland is a good man who seems to leave nothing but death in his wake.
This new edition of The Gunslinger has been revised and expanded throughout by King, with new story material, in addition to a new introduction and foreword. It also includes four full-color illustrations in the hardcover and trade paperback formats.

My Review:

This my second reading of this book. The first time took place in January of 1991 when I was in high school.  How do I know this? Because I wrote the dates I finished each section in the table of contents of my book which is currently being read by my husband.  All through middle and high school I read everything I could get my hands on written by Stephen King.  Partially because it was a way to rebel, another because these were books my deceased mother had read, and because I enjoyed how pieces or clues to this epic series would be found hidden within other stories he wrote.  I have long since broken up with the author but still, I hang onto the main books in this series in case I ever wanted to revisit them.

My husband and I recently went to see the movie loosely based on the books and my husband enjoyed it so much he decided to read the first book.  Not wanting to pass up an opportunity to read the same book he was I decided to check this one out from the library and read it too.  I was also curious to see if I would feel the same about this epic fantasy that I once did.  I was obsessed with this series, after all, it was time to see if I still was.

I wasn’t.  I can see why my younger self was so enamored by the story but my 26 years older self found a lot lacking.  Younger Amy fell hard for the epic good vs evil the magic and the mysticism.  She wanted a story to get lost within something to sink her teeth into.  Older Amy knows how this story plays out and isn’t interested in taking this journey twice.  Ironic when you think about how the last book ended.  My older reading self comes to this story with more experience and was able to see the flaws of this story.  It wasn’t awful but I’ve read better where my 17-year-old self most likely hadn’t.

Basically, I’ve moved on much like the world Roland inhabits.  There were a time and place for this series in my life and it was 26 years ago.  This is one I am fully able and willing to let go because after reading this book for the second time I will not be rereading the rest. The book was a bit slow-paced for me and near the end, I kept thinking I should just put it down. But I finished it and now the husband and I can discuss it over lunch sometime.  I didn’t care for the characters much, Roland was alright and Jake was just annoying.  The man in black was probably the most interesting which surprised me.  If they ever make a second movie I’ll probably go see it but quite frankly I don’t think that is going to happen.

My Rating: 3 Stars